More than 30 people attended a public meeting in the town this week to share ideas on how to raise the $90,000 needed for essential repairs to the historic building and to discuss possible future uses.
A working party, made up of members from the Central Otago District Council, Promote Dunstan, the Clyde Stationary Museum Group, and the Clyde Historical Museum Group, is driving the project.
It commissioned a conservation plan and condition report on the 1907 building and called the meeting to gauge support for the station's retention.
"This has shown us that people do want the station saved.
It's a start and hopefully the numbers of people supporting it will grow as the project gains momentum," working party member Andrea Ritchie said.
The meeting agreed Promote Dunstan should lead and co-ordinate the project.
The stationary engine group uses the building as a base for its collection of engines and the building is only occasionally open to the public.
Vincent Community Board chairwoman Clair Higginson said the work could be done in stages, but $90,000 was the cost of the urgent repairs needed to keep the New Zealand Historic Places category two listed building watertight. Repainting costs of $22,000 were included in the $90,000 figure.
Although the building was council-owned, the council was not in a position to devote that much money to the project, she said.
Mrs Ritchie said nothing had been agreed about the station's future use and the immediate priority was to improve the condition of the building.
"Suggestions have included a railway museum and information centre or a cafe, to generate some income from it.
"Because Clyde is the starting point or end point of the [Otago Central] Rail Trail, the station could become a landmark spot for rail-trailers to have their photo taken."
Others at the meeting said it would be a great venue, with the adjacent reserve, to use for an outdoor concert, or "Shakespeare in the Park" performances.
Various sources of funding for the building repairs were discussed. Mrs Ritchie and Ms Higginson said it was important for the community to raise at least a third of the funds needed, to show the support for the project, before funding agencies were approached.
Ideas for fundraising included a monster garage sale, sports tournaments, a miner's dinner and raffles at "Clyde on Sunday" markets.
Stationary museum group member and railway enthusiast Alan Blee said Clyde was renowned for its range of historic buildings and the station was another "treasure".
Ms Higginson said the commitment to the building had to be long term.
"Time is not on our side with this building and the repairs are needed urgently, so we have to act quickly."
Promote Dunstan would continue to collect ideas for fund-raising, suggestions for the future use of the building and collate offers to help with the project.
